Vladamir's world tour

clive · Post by **clive** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 1:00 am

Some time ago I sent info and a picture to the JAMPOT magazine about a Russian motorcyclist we had met in 2000. Vladamir comes from Minsk and had been going on long distance rides for some years within the Soviet Union including following the whole length of the Chinese border. With the opening up of Russia he started in the west. He was riding a Jawa 350 with a number of homemade mods to allow ease of maintenance. Vladamir is 60 and deaf which surprisingly makes it easier for him to communicate since he is used to using signs to help with understanding. He finances his trips by displaying a series of posters with pictures of his tour and a request in many languages to help him on the way with money for fuel.
In 2000 when he stayed with us he had left Minsk in the Spring and had already been to Paris and toured Denmark before staying with us in London. He stayed a few days to collect his finance for fuel and left saying he was going to Ireland and would stay on his way back.
3 months later I bumped into him in a petrol station as he had lost our address when one of his bags was stolen in west london.
During the 3 months he had been away Vladamir had travelled to Wales, Ireland, Scotland, The Orkneys and then done a tour of Iceland. He also visited Stonehenge twice as he had had his camera stolen the first time. Since then we occasionally get a phone call from someone he has visited telling us of his progress. He went down through France and Spain into Morocco then across to the Canaries. Form there he went to Columbia around south america (not sure how far) across to Cuba and then into the USA. We heard nothing for a while but then heard he was in Toronto in Canada and most recently in Alaska. The last person said that he was trying to do all of the US states. I assume this means that he will have to move on then to Australsia before riding on up to Minsk!! Makes you think about what you should be doing in retirement doesn't it?

lawrence · Post by **lawrence** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 10:04 pm

Crikey! My Bonneville has a job to wheeze down to Brighton and back[xx(]

Janet · Post by **Janet** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 8:17 pm

What an example to us all. When I get to feeling that I'm old and past it ( past what ? ) thinking of him puts me to shame.

Lawrence <<Crikey! My Bonneville has a job to wheeze down to Brighton and back >>

Are you sure it's the Bonneville that's doing the wheezing?

lawrence · Post by **lawrence** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 12:30 am

Oooooooh, you cheeky little minx! there's nowt wrong with me that a heart/lungs/brain transplant wouldn't fix!![:o)]

Very glad to hear that you are safe after your encounter with a ditch. i might not be rude to yorkshire as a special gesture for a while (only a little while, well it is Yorkshire[;)])